Toy trundle device



Nav. 4, 1969 w. H] 4EDWARDS, SAW-1,855l

TOY TRUNDLEv DEVICE Filed Jan. 3, 1967 mau-nun... l'

FIG. 2

INVENTOR WILLIAM H. EDWARDS ATroRNEY:

United States Patent O ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy trundle wheel is provided with an inner hub having a central opening therewithin. A pair of transparent cap members, mounted on opposite sides of the hub and connected together by a central shaft passing therethrough, form a central cavity. A disc, having a design printed thereon, is provided with an aperture of diameter larger than the shaft and is eccentrically and freely mounted on the shaft within the cavity. Rotation of the i wheel causes the wheel, hub, cap members and central shaft to rotate while the disc remains stationary.

This invention relates to a mechanical amusement device and more particularly, it releates to a toy trundle device of the type which can be rolled along the ground either manually or by means of a bifurcated guiding stick.

Toy hoop or trundle devices have been known and used in the art for many years. In general, such devices consist of an open hoop or wheel which a child can roll along the ground and can guide either manually or by way of a guiding stick. The present invention utilizes the basic principles of these commonly known hoops or trundle devices, but incorporates therewith a nonrotating imprinted central disc means. Thus, as the hoop or trundle device is rolled along the ground, the central disc means and the imprint thereupon will remain in the same position or orientation, thereby providing an interesting and amusing novelty device.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an amusement device having a rotatable ground engaging portion and a nonrotating central portion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an interesting and amusing novelty device which can readily be operated by a child and which has both movable and nonmovable parts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy trundle device having a central disc means carrying a design or imprint thereupon, such central disc means being fully protected from the elements when coupled with said toy trundle device but being readily removable therefrom to allow substitution of a different disc means having a different imprint thereupon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an amusement device which is relatively inexpensive to produce, yet which is highly attractive, durable, and easy to manipulate, assemble and disassemble.

Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of a toy trundle device in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view thereof taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE l.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the amusement device or toy trundle device in accordance with the principles of the present invention is generally designated 10. Such device includes a ground engaging wheel means generally designated 12 whose periphery is preferably formed of a suitable hollow ground engaging ring 14. For example, the ring 14 can be in the form of a pneumatic tire or can be any other suitable means having a generally circular cross-sectional area. The ring 14 is mounted on a suitable rim 16 formed of a suitable rigid material. If desired, one could eliminate the ring 14 and merely use the rim 16 as the ground engaging surface, but it has been found that the use of the inflatable ring 14 provides superior results and is easier for a child to roll along the ground.

'lhe ground engaging wheel means 12 also includes an inner annular hub member 18 having a pair of opposed dat side surfaces 20. Flat spoke members 22 extend in spaced apart relation between the rim 16 and the inner hub member 18 thereby xing these parts together. In other words, the ground engaging wheel means 12 includes an outer annular portion formed by the ring 14 and the rim 16, an inner annular portion formed by the inner hub 18, and spoke members 22 connecting these inner and outer annular portions together so that they will rotate as a unit.

The inner surface 24 of the hub member 18 is circular in configuration and serves to define a central opening in the device 10. A pair of transparent cap members 26, preferably formed of plastic, are disposed on opposite sides of the central opening. Each of the cap members 26 has a peripheral flange 28 which abuts against a flat side surface 20 of the inner hub member 18. As a result, the central chamber or cavity 30. two cap members 26 serve to define and create an Inner A central shaft 32 extends through the chamber 30 and through aligned apertures in the cap members 26. The central axis of the shaft 32 forms the axis of rotation of the device 10. As can best be seen from FIGURE 2, the end portions of the shaft 32 extend or project slightly beyond the outer surfaces of the cap members 26 and an end cap 34 is mounted upon each of these projecting ends. The end caps 34 abut against the outer surfaces of the cap members 26 and thus serve to press the same inward so that the flange portions 28 thereof press tightly against the side surfaces 20 of the inner hub member 18.

A central disc mem-ber 38 is disposed within the central chamber 30, with such central disc member having a central aperture 40 formed therewithin. The diameter of the central aperture 40 exceeds the diameter of the central shaft 32 and as a result, the disc means 38 is slightly eccentrically mounted upon the central shaft 32. In other words, the center of lgravity of the disc means 38 is displaced slightly beneath the central axis of the shaft 32, which, as aforesaid, defines the axis of rotation of the device 10.

Suitable indicia means or 'a suitable design designated 42 can be imprinted upon opposite sides of the disc means 38. In the form illustrated, the indicia 42 takes the form of a design of a clown, but it will, of course, be understood that any suitable design can be utilized. Also, the same design can be used on opposite sides of the disc means 38, or, if desired, a different design may be used on opposite sides thereof.

In operation of the device 10, the same is rolled along the ground either manually or by means of a suitable bifurcated guiding stick, as is well known in the art. As the device rolls along the ground, it is the peripheral ring 14 which actually engages the ground, but all of the portions of the device 10 except for the disc means 38 rotate. In other words, as the device rolls along the ground, the ground engaging wheel means 12 rotates, the cap members 26 rotate, and the central shaft 32 and its end caps 34 rotate. However, because of the oversize central aperture 40 in the disc means, which causes the center of gravity of the disc means to be located beneath the axis of the shaft 32, such central disc means will not rotate. As a result, the indicia 42 will remain in a substantially stationary and non-rotating position, even though the entire device 10 is being rotated by rolling the same along the ground.

It will -be appreciated that the device 10 can be used indoors or outdoors, and the use of the cap members 26 serves to protect the internal chamber 30 and the disc means 38 mounted therewithin. Thus, even if the device 10 is rolled through a puddle or even if the same falls in mud or dirt, the indicia 42 on the disc means will not be affected. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the present invention is easily disassemblable, if desired, to enable a different disc means 38 having different indicia 42 thereupon, to be substituted. This disassembly can be accomplished merely by removing one of the end caps 34 0n the shaft 32. This enables a cap mem-ber 26 to be removed and the entire disc means 38 can be slipped off the shaft 32 so that a new disc means can be substituted therefor. Then, the entire device can be quickly reassembled without the need for any special tools, and without the requirement of any complicated manual manipulations.

After reading the foregoing detailed description, it should be apparent that the objects set forth at the outset of the specification have been successfully achieved by the present invention.

Accordingly, what is claimed is:

1. A toy trundle device comprising:

annular ground engaging `wheel means having a central opening therewithin;

said ground engaging wheel means including a pair of opposed side surfaces;

transparent cap members disposed on opposite sides of said central opening and engageable at least partially against said side surfaces for ready removal therefrom and to thereby convert said central opening into an enclosing central chamber between said cap members;

disc means having suitable indicia thereupon disposed within said central chamber;

a straight central shaft extending through said central chamber and through and beyond said cap members and having ends that terminate closely adjacent a respective cap member;

a removable retaining button mounted on each end of said shaft end retaining said cap members in tight engagement with an associated side surface;

said disc means having an aperture therein through which said central shaft extends;

said aperture having a diameter in excess of the diameter of said central shaft whereby said disc means is freely mounted upon said central shaft;

said device being operative by rolling said ground engaging wheel means along the ground whereupon said wheel means, said cap members and said central shaft will rotate, but said disc means will not rotate thereby maintaining the indici-a thereon substantially stationary so that the same can be visually observed through said transparent cap members.

2. A toy trundle device as defined in claim 1 wherein said ground engaging Wheel means includes an outer annular ground engaging portion,an inner annular ground engaging portion, an inner annular hub and means fixedly connecting said outer annular ground engaging portion and said inner annular hub.

3. A toy trundle device as defined in claim 2 wherein said means fixedly connecting said outer annular ground engaging portion and said inner annular hub are spaced apart spoke members.

4. A toy trundle device as defined in claim 2 wherein said opposed side surfaces are formed on said inner annular hub.

5. A toy trundle device as defined in claim 4 wherein said cap members have aligned central holes therein and wherein said central shaft extends through said aligned central holes.

6. A toy trundle device as defined in claim 1 wherein said aperture diameter, by exceeding the diameter of said central shaft, causes said disc means to be eccentrically mounted upon said central shaft whereby the center of gravity of said disc means is disposed beneath the central axis of said central shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,364,394 1/1921 Maisano 46-114 3,292,300 12/ 1966 Lescher et al. 46-205 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner CHARLES R. WENTZEL, Assistant Examiner 

